When it comes to family and Christmas, #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods always looks to the O’Briens for a little holiday magic

For the very driven medical student Caitlyn Winters, catching the bridal bouquet at a Christmas wedding has set off a chain reaction that she’s sure is more curse than blessing. Not only has she fallen in love with family medicine resident Noah McIlroy, but an unexpected pregnancy threatens her well-laid plans for the future. It doesn’t help that Noah—with a whole lot of help from her O’Brien relatives—is completely on board with the prospect of marriage and happily-ever-after.

It takes a whole lot of patience, love and family persuasion to help Caitlyn realize that she can still have everything she ever wanted, including a home in her beloved Chesapeake Shores and a man who understands all of her dreams.

“Love, marriage, family, and forgiveness all play an important part in Woods’s latest richly nourishing, holiday-spiced novel.”

—Chicago Tribune on A Chesapeake Shores Christmas

Also by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods

SWAN POINT*

THE DEVANEY BROTHERS: DANIEL

THE DEVANEY BROTHERS: MICHAEL AND PATRICK

THE DEVANEY BROTHERS: RYAN AND SEAN

HOME TO SEAVIEW KEY

SEAVIEW INN

TWILIGHT

A SEASIDE CHRISTMAS***

TEMPTATION

SEA GLASS ISLAND††

WIND CHIME POINT††

SAND CASTLE BAY††

WHERE AZALEAS BLOOM*

CATCHING FIREFLIES*

MIDNIGHT PROMISES*

THE SUMMER GARDEN***

AN O’BRIEN FAMILY CHRISTMAS***

BEACH LANE***

MOONLIGHT COVE***

DRIFTWOOD COTTAGE***

RETURN TO ROSE COTTAGE†

HOME AT ROSE COTTAGE†

A CHESAPEAKE SHORES CHRISTMAS***

HONEYSUCKLE SUMMER*

SWEET TEA AT SUNRISE*

HOME IN CAROLINA*

HARBOR LIGHTS***

FLOWERS ON MAIN***

THE INN AT EAGLE POINT***

WELCOME TO SERENITY*

MENDING FENCES

FEELS LIKE FAMILY*

A SLICE OF HEAVEN*

STEALING HOME*

WAKING UP IN CHARLESTON

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER

THE BACKUP PLAN

DESTINY UNLEASHED

FLAMINGO DINER

ALONG CAME TROUBLE**

ASK ANYONE**

ABOUT THAT MAN**

ANGEL MINE

AFTER TEX

*The Sweet Magnolias

**Trinity Harbor

***Chesapeake Shores

†The Rose Cottage Sisters

††Ocean Breeze

Look for Sherryl Woods’s next novel

DOGWOOD HILL

available soon from Harlequin MIRA

The Christmas Bouquet

Sherryl

Woods

www.mirabooks.co.uk

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Booklist

Title Page

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

1

It was all because of that blasted bridal bouquet, Caitlyn Winters thought as she stared in dismay at the positive pregnancy test in her hand. From the moment she’d caught the bouquet at Jenny Collins’s Christmas wedding in New York a little over a year ago, she’d been doomed. That instinctive grab of an object flying straight at her had changed her life.

Her twin sister, Carrie, who’d all but shoved her aside to try to snatch the bouquet from the air, was going to laugh herself silly at what had transpired since that night. So were the rest of the O’Briens, for that matter. They loved irony.

Noah McIlroy, the family medicine resident whom she’d met soon after the wedding and with whom she’d been having a serious relationship since last September, tapped on the bathroom door.

“Caitlyn, are you okay?”

A hysterical laugh bubbled up, but she fought to contain it. This was no laughing matter. “Fine,” she managed to squeak out just as the door opened. Noah’s gaze shifted from her face to land on the test strip she was holding. Concern immediately evolved into astonishment.

“You’re pregnant?” he asked, his eyes filled with surprise, but a smile already tugging at his lips.

His wonderful, sensual lips, which had gotten them into this mess, she thought wryly. Of course, she was well aware those lips hadn’t caused her pregnancy. Heck, she’d known about the birds and bees long before that, thanks to all the romances in Chesapeake Shores and among her amorous O’Brien relatives.

But it was her inability to resist Noah’s heated kisses that had led to all the rest. That and an apparently defective condom. Given her cautious nature, she probably should have insisted on at least three methods of birth control, but no, she’d trusted Noah when he’d assured her that the condoms would be sufficient.

The man had cast a spell over her from the minute they’d met, literally one week after she’d caught that blasted romantic bouquet with all its superstition attached like streamers of satin ribbon. The deft catch had earned hoots of laughter from her family and a stunned, disappointed scowl from her twin, who’d been angling for the bouquet all evening.

And now, here she was, barely more than a year later, and pregnant. She hadn’t even accepted Noah’s repeated pleas that they live together, even though he was in her apartment more often than he was in his own. She’d drawn a line at that, knowing that she’d never be able to keep his presence in her life a secret from her nosy family if they were actually living under the same roof.

And she’d wanted to keep this relationship a secret. After all, she was supposed to be the grounded, goal-oriented sister. Carrie was the one everyone had expected to fall madly in love and marry before her college graduation. Instead, Carrie was jetting around the world, leading a completely carefree life, building a career in public relations for a big fashion designer and tossing away men like used tissues while she pined for one unobtainable man. And Caitlyn, thanks to that bouquet, was standing here with a positive pregnancy test in her hand!

She recalled the forget-me-nots that her aunt Bree had tucked into Jenny’s simple bridal bouquet and fought back another hysterical laugh. She was hardly likely to forget this moment, that’s for sure.

She drew in a deep breath and finally dared to meet Noah’s gaze. For a man supposedly as dedicated to his medical career as she was to hers, he looked awfully pleased about this unexpected bump in the road. Of course, he was just a couple of months away from launching his career, while she still had the long years of an internship and residency to complete.

“Wipe that smile off your face,” she instructed him firmly. “This is not good news.”

His smile only spread, revealing that appealing dimple that had also sucked her right in. “It’s the best possible news,” he contradicted.

“Noah, you may see the light at the end of the tunnel, but be real. You’ll finish your residency at the end of June and you still have to decide where you want to go into practice and get established. I haven’t even started my internship. We might not even be living in the same city a few months from now. A baby doesn’t fit into the plan.”

“You know what they say,” he began.

“Don’t you dare remind me that God laughs while we’re making plans.”

She frowned for emphasis as she passed him on her way into the bedroom, where she sank down on the side of the bed. Maybe if she sat for a minute, she could think. Thinking clearly had always been her best trait.

She’d known what she wanted for her life by her teens. After spending a summer volunteering in a doctor’s office in a medically underserved community in Appalachia and seeing reports about villages in third-world countries that were even worse off, she’d found her calling. Her reward had been the healthy children who’d clustered around her at the end of the summer to say goodbye, the moms who’d hugged her with tears in their eyes.

Just like her ambitious mother, Abby O’Brien Winters Riley, Caitlyn had thought her future through very carefully. There would be college, medical school, an internship and residency. Then she’d use all that knowledge to help children in parts of the world where medical help was severely lacking. She’d make a difference, just like everyone else in her family had in their own way. This was her way to shine, to live up to all those family expectations and at the same time do the kind of meaningful work she’d been born to do.

She’d been so focused that she’d managed to complete college in three years, then set out to whip through medical school and all of her rotations as fast as they’d allowed her to. Every summer she’d either crammed in more courses or served in another needy community, most recently in Africa with the Red Cross. While Carrie was the social butterfly, Caitlyn had been driven, not allowing a single distraction. Not until Noah, anyway.

She glanced up at him as he studied her with a worried expression. He was so incredibly gorgeous, it was little wonder that her heart seemed to stop whenever she looked at him. But it wasn’t his looks that had made her fall in love. He’d seemed as driven as she was, determined to be the kind of old-fashioned doctor who was more concerned with treating his patients with compassion and dignity than racking up huge bucks on office visits and unnecessary testing.

They’d met on her rotation through the family medicine service right after that fateful wedding. She’d been immediately smitten by his dedication, the thoughtful kindness he displayed to everyone from patients to the most inept medical students still struggling to adapt book learning to practical experience. He’d turned her into a better doctor by example, no question about it. He’d suggested she waver from her original intention to focus on pediatrics and steered her into choosing family medicine. He’d helped her see that she could serve even more people with that well-rounded specialty.

Until she’d worked with him, she’d understood everything in her textbooks, but she hadn’t mastered the instinctive diagnostic skills that made the difference between being competent and excelling. He’d taught her to listen to more than a list of symptoms, to hear what her patients weren’t saying, as much as to what they said.

By fall, when she’d started her final year of medical school, they were in an exclusive relationship, stealing time to be together whenever they could. With their competing, demanding schedules, those stolen moments had been few and far between. Given the test strip she was holding, they’d been more than sufficient to alter her life apparently.

Noah dropped down beside her now and took her hand in his. “We’re going to be okay,” he said softly, his warm brown eyes filled with tenderness.

When she didn’t answer, he touched her chin. “Look at me, Cait.” Only after she’d turned her head, fighting tears, did he repeat, “We’re going to be okay.”

“How?” she asked him, unable to imagine it, unable to accept his confidently spoken reassurance.

“We’ll get married,” he said without hesitation. “I know we haven’t talked about that yet, but you know I love you. I want a future with you. This just bumps up the timetable. I’m all but finished with my residency. I’ll go into practice in July. You’ll finish your internship and residency. Then you can join me in the practice.”

She listened to the logical simplicity of his plan and regarded him incredulously, panicked by the certainty in his voice.

“That’s your dream, Noah. Not mine. You know what I want, what I’ve worked so hard for. There’s a big world out there in desperate need of medical help. I want to save the lives of babies in third-world countries who might not make it without a doctor in their village. The two weeks I spent in Africa last year...” Her voice trailed off and hitched as she thought about the desperation she’d seen everywhere she’d turned. “That time confirmed everything for me. I was meant to do that kind of work. I promised I’d be back.”

To his credit he didn’t dismiss her dream or the promise she’d made. They’d talked about it often enough. He knew how much it meant to her to go where she was needed. It was what she’d stayed up nights studying for. She’d known it from the first time she’d seen those malnourished children with their wide desperate eyes on the news. Every volunteer assignment she’d taken after that had only solidified her resolve.

“Then how do you see this going?” he asked quietly.

She wanted to blurt out that she’d have to end the pregnancy, but how could she? While she might believe in every woman’s right to choose, she knew she’d never be able to live with herself if she chose abortion. She was a healer. And this was Noah’s baby, an unexpected blessing under any other circumstances.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, hot tears falling.

Noah pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest, surrounding her with his strength and heat and that scary, unwavering certainty. “We’ll figure it out,” he promised. “Together, we’ll figure out what’s best.”

For just an instant, Caitlyn allowed herself to believe that. She desperately wanted to hold on to the possibility that there was an answer that worked for both of them. But in every scenario she envisioned, she lost.

* * *

Noah knew a baby wasn’t in Cait’s plans, not right now, anyway. It killed him to see her so utterly miserable when he wanted to shout his joy from the rooftop. The timing might be lousy in so many ways, but the news filled him with hope that this child would bind the two of them together forever.

She’d been right about one thing: marriage and sharing a medical practice was his dream. He’d wanted that from the minute she’d started on his service at the hospital with her exhaustive textbook knowledge of medicine, her instinctive diagnostic skills that even now she didn’t recognize that she possessed and her unquenchable thirst to learn everything he had to teach her. Her silky skin and untamed red curls had captivated him, too, no question about it. Every male at the hospital stared after her as she bounced through her days with boundless energy and optimism, spreading smiles in her wake.

Over the next few weeks they’d shared enough late nights and coffee it was a wonder either of them had ever slept a wink with all that caffeine racing through their systems. He’d never been much of a talker, but with Caitlyn, he hadn’t been able to keep quiet. There’d been so much he’d wanted to share, so many things about her he’d wanted to learn.

She’d made him laugh with her endless stream of stories about her large Irish-American family and teased him unmercifully because his own background was Scottish. She’d claimed she could never take him home because of it.

He’d thought at the time she was joking, but now he couldn’t help wondering. They’d been inseparable for most of the past year, but he still hadn’t been invited to Chesapeake Shores, which wasn’t that far away. Was he wrong about how much he meant to her? Was he only someone with whom she could spend time until the day she finished her residency and went off to begin her “real” life? Did she view him as safe, someone she could leave behind without regrets?

No, he thought heatedly. He wasn’t wrong about their feelings. He couldn’t be. He wasn’t the only one in love. Cait loved him, too. He might not have a lot of experience with serious relationships—how many doctors had enough time to properly date during all those years of school and training, after all?—but he could recognize that what he’d found with Cait was special.

Sitting across the room on the edge of the bed where she’d left him, he watched her now as she pulled her strawberry-red hair into a severe knot intended to tame the curls. He smiled as a few escaped to brush her cheeks. It reminded him of the way she lived her life, desperately trying to control everything, but a wild streak coming out when she least expected it. He could recall with total clarity the last time she’d cut loose with total abandon. He liked imagining that was the night this baby had been conceived, with neither of them thinking of anything but each other.

“Cait,” he said softly. “I think it’s time I meet this crazy family of yours.”

In her mirrored reflection, he saw her eyes go wide with alarm.

“Now?”

“Can you think of a better time? They have to be told about what’s going on.”

She shook her head. “Not a chance, Noah. Not until we know what we’re going to do. Maybe not even then. My mom, she’s great. She’ll handle this okay. My great-grandmother—”

“Nell O’Brien, right?”

She nodded. “She’ll be worried, but she’ll support whatever I decide to do.” As she spotted his frown reflected in the mirror, she quickly corrected herself. “Whatever we decide to do.”

Noah let it go, shoving aside his sense that she really did intend for this to be her decision and hers alone.

“With the two of them in your corner, what’s the problem?” he asked. “Maybe that’s just what you need right now, two women you respect giving you some advice.” He held her gaze. “And the advice will be more meaningful if they’ve met me and know how committed I am to you.”

“I can’t deny that talking to them might be helpful,” she acknowledged, her expression turning wistful. “And Nell is incredible. She’s wise and compassionate. She won’t judge me.”

“Well, there you go,” he said, as if that settled the matter. “It’s time to head to Chesapeake Shores.”

She shook her head. “For me, maybe. Not you.”

“But I’m in this with you,” he protested, digging in. “They need to know that. I don’t want them to think for a single minute that I’ve left you to deal with this alone.”

“You’re forgetting one thing,” she said, looking visibly worried. “Two, actually. My grandpa Mick is likely to beat you to a pulp first and ask questions later and my stepdad will help him. Trace has managed to convince himself that I have never, not even once, gone on a date, much less slept with anyone.”

“You have to be joking!” Noah said. “What does he think is going on with you and me?”

She flinched. “I haven’t mentioned you.”

He froze as the implication sank in. “Your stepdad doesn’t know you’re in a committed relationship?” he asked slowly, not able to believe she’d kept something like that secret given how close she was to her family.

“It hasn’t come up,” she said defensively. “Actually, no one back home knows.”

Shock nearly rendered him speechless. “But your mother works less than an hour away,” he said at last. “She’s been here. Surely she’s wondered about finding my clothes scattered about.”

“The past few months I’ve managed to steer her away from here,” she admitted. “The couple of times she has stopped by, I’ve had enough notice that I’ve had time to tidy up.”

“Meaning exactly what?” he asked, trying to remain calm. “You’ve hidden away all traces of me?”

“Pretty much,” she said, then gave him a defiant look. “It was better that way, Noah. You have to trust me on that. If anyone in my family knew about you and me, they’d be pestering us every minute about our plans for the future. Neither of us needed that kind of aggravation or distraction.”

He resisted the urge to confess that he’d be interested in hearing her response to that question about their future himself, especially now. If he went down that path, they’d only wind up arguing and there was a more pressing issue on the table right now: the baby.

“How have you managed to keep your mother and everyone else so conveniently out of your personal business? I thought they were constitutionally incapable of not meddling.”

“Which is exactly why I haven’t mentioned you,” she reminded him. “It keeps their attention on my work. They think I’m a bit of a boring drone.”

“You’ve deliberately steered all of them away from visiting, too, haven’t you?” he said, realizing how deliberate her actions had been. “How did you pull that off so well? You told me yourself that their drop-in visits were constantly disrupting your study time, yet you couldn’t seem to prevent them from showing up.”

Cait flushed guiltily, then shrugged. “I guess I finally got through to them that my schedule is even more demanding now that I’m doing all these rotations at the hospital. Half the time I’m there, so they’d miss me if they did drop by the apartment. After a few wasted trips up here, they gave up. Instead, I’ve gone home when I can. That seems to satisfy them, that and about a million phone calls a week.”

“But your mom is close by most of the week,” he persisted. “How do you get away with keeping her at arm’s length when it’s no big deal to pop over from her office?”

“Her schedule is just as crazy as mine and this is actually out of her way. She’s always rushing through her day to get home to Trace and my brother. We grab a bite to eat when we can, usually at her desk. If I take the initiative and call frequently, there’s no reason for her to come by.”

“And if she does announce an intention to visit, you ‘tidy up,’” he said, unable to keep an edge of irritation from his voice. He was offended and saw no reason to hide it. “What about your sister, then? You and Carrie talk at least once a week. How have you kept her away? From the way you’ve described her, it seems doubtful to me that she’d take a hint.”

“No, Carrie definitely wouldn’t respond to subtlety,” she agreed. “She’s been out of town a lot, thank goodness. And she’s mostly so self-involved with her own chaotic personal life that she doesn’t ask a lot of questions.”

Noah could see that Cait had been much more circumspect with her family than he’d realized. He understood that she was a private person. He certainly understood her not wanting their colleagues at the hospital to know they were involved, though most did, of course. But keeping her own family in the dark? It defied everything he knew about how important they were to her.

Right now, though, there was no time to delve into her reasoning. This pregnancy news changed everything. It was hardly something she could keep from them, not for long, anyway.

“Cait, how far along are you? Do you have any idea when the baby might be due?”

“I won’t know for sure until I see the doctor,” she said.

“But you must have some idea,” Noah pressed.

“I missed a couple of periods,” she finally admitted, her expression chagrined. “I was stressed out. I didn’t think too much about it. Then I had a couple of bouts of morning sickness this past week and it dawned on me I might be pregnant. I guess I’m not such a great diagnostician, after all, huh?”

He allowed himself a small smile. “More like a woman in denial, I imagine.”

She sighed. “Denial was lovely,” she admitted.

Noah could understand why she might think that, but with reality setting in, there was no more time to waste. “So, you’re about two months along?”

“Something like that. I think the baby’s probably due in December.”

“Sweetheart, I know you’re not exactly overjoyed about this. You need to open up with someone.”

“I just told you,” she said.

“But right now, I suspect you’re thinking of me as the enemy,” he told her. He scrambled for an alternative. If she didn’t want to talk to her mother or Nell O’Brien, then perhaps her sister. Weren’t twins supposed to have an extraordinarily strong bond?

“Couldn’t you talk our situation over with Carrie? Get some family backup before you spill the news to everyone else? Would that help?”

She looked horrified by the thought. “Good heavens, no! If Carrie knew about us or about the baby we’re expecting, every O’Brien in Chesapeake Shores would know by the end of the day. The situation would spin out of control.”

“Are you absolutely sure they don’t already know that something’s up?” he asked. “With us, anyway.”

“Did you not hear what I just said about my stepfather and my grandfather?” she asked impatiently. “If either of them had a clue, you’d be a dead man.”

Noah couldn’t believe she was right about their likely reaction. “Come on, Cait. You’re in your twenties. You’ve been away at school for years now. Surely they can’t believe there’s never been a man in your life.”

She finally smiled, the tension in her shoulders visibly easing. “Well, they knew about Ronnie Jessup in fourth grade,” she told him. “That was after we moved from New York to Chesapeake Shores. He sent me a dozen valentines that year. Grandpa Mick immediately wanted to have a talk with his parents, but Nell stopped him. And my mom managed to keep Trace from following me to my high school prom. I’m pretty sure Grandpa Mick was lurking around somewhere in the shadows, though.”

Noah laughed, then realized she was serious. “They’re that protective?”

“Carrie and I were the first grandchildren. Grandpa Mick might have gone a little overboard. While I can’t imagine building my entire life around dating the way Carrie has, she might have had the right idea. She’s trained them to deal with it. I was the responsible, serious one. I was in love with my books. I probably lulled them into a false sense of complacency thinking I’d never do anything outrageous. This is going to come as a huge shock to them.”

“Oh, boy,” Noah whispered, then regarded her with a renewed sense of determination. “Sweetie, we need to get this over with. Neither of us is on duty this weekend. It’s the perfect time to go to Chesapeake Shores.”

“But I have to study,” she protested.

He met her gaze. “With all of this on your mind, do you actually think you’re going to be able to concentrate?”

“I can always concentrate,” she insisted.

Noah thought that actually might be true, but he shook his head. “Cait, I won’t have your parents or anyone else thinking I’m reckless and irresponsible or that I’ve treated you carelessly. That would be a terrible way to be introduced to any family, but especially to one as protective as yours. I want them to like me or at least to accept me.”

“Noah—” she began.

Since a protest was undoubtedly coming, he cut her off. “I know how much you love and respect your family. If you’re determined to stay here and avoid this, go right ahead, but I’m going to speak to them. They need to know my intentions are honorable, even if we ultimately decide not to get married.”

She looked stricken by his vehemence. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would,” he told her solemnly. “I love you, Cait. More than that, I respect you. I’d like to prove I’m worthy of your family’s respect, too. They need to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to protect and support you and our child.” He lightened his tone. “And if you’re right about your grandfather and stepdad beating me to a pulp, at least I’ll have time to heal before our child gets his or her first look at me.”

She scowled. “That’s not even remotely amusing.” She sat down beside him and wove her fingers through his. “Look, I love you for wanting to stand beside me and face my family, but maybe that’s not the best idea.” She drew in a deep breath, then conceded, “You are right about one thing, though. I should probably go down there this weekend and fill them in on what’s going on, even get some of Nell’s sage advice. The whole family relies on her to put things into perspective.”

Noah frowned, not entirely pleased about her plan. “And then you’ll do what? Come back here and announce your decision to me?”

She winced at his caustic tone. “No, of course not. We’ll decide this together. I promise. Going home will help me to think everything through, though. I’m reeling right now. I need this space, Noah. You know how I am. I ponder things, especially important decisions, and I won’t be able to do that with you watching me every second. Please don’t push to go with me.”

He nodded finally, reluctantly accepting her decision. “As long as you swear you’ll come back and talk it over with me before you do anything crazy.”

She obviously knew what he meant by crazy, because she rested her hand against his cheek, tears in her eyes again.

“There won’t be an abortion, Noah. That much I do know. I swear it.”

A wave of relief washed over him at the sincerity he heard in her voice, at the commitment shining in her eyes. He knew he could trust her to keep her word. Now he just had to pray that whatever went on with her family would work in his favor.

2

With every mile that brought her closer to Chesapeake Shores, the knot of dread in Caitlyn’s stomach seemed to tighten. It was the first time ever she hadn’t been eager to get back to see her large rambunctious family. They could be overwhelming at times, but she’d grown up never doubting how much she was loved. In fact, that had given her the strength and confidence to choose the path she’d chosen for her future. She’d known there were too many children in the world who didn’t have that powerful support system, who didn’t even have the basic necessities.

She’d spent most of the drive trying not only to summon the courage to reveal her secret, but trying to decide the first person she should tell. There was little question that her mother would empathize. She’d had to make her share of difficult decisions to balance love and career and family. She’d even given up her dream job as a successful stockbroker in New York to take over the Baltimore office of her brokerage company so she could be closer to Chesapeake Shores and her new family with Trace.

Caitlyn pulled to the side of the road. She drew in a deep breath, then hit speed dial on her cell phone. When her mom’s delighted voice filled the car, she immediately felt her anxiety ease.

“Hey, sweetheart, how are you?” her mother asked. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot this week. We miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” Caitlyn said. “As a matter of fact, I’m on my way home. Are you in Chesapeake Shores or at the Baltimore office?”

“Lucky for you, I’ve been working from home today,” Abby said. “Why didn’t you let us know you were coming? I’d have cooked.”

Caitlyn laughed. “No, you wouldn’t. You would have called Aunt Jess and asked her to send over some food from the Inn at Eagle Point,” she teased. “There’s still time to do that. I’m about thirty minutes away. I could pick it up.”

“What a great idea! Why don’t you do that. I’ll call Jess as soon as I get off the phone.” She hesitated. “Caitlyn, are you sure everything’s okay? You never pop in unexpectedly like this. You always let us know when you’re coming. Has something happened at the hospital? Is your work going okay? Medical school’s not getting to be too much for you, is it?”

“Everything’s fine,” Caitlyn assured her automatically. She forced herself to amend that. “But maybe you and I could find a little time to talk after dinner. I’d like your advice about something.”

“Now I’m really worried,” Abby said, only half in jest. “I’ll tell Jess we’re going to need one of those chocolate decadence cakes to go along with some serious conversation.”

Caitlyn laughed despite her somber mood. “You always want one of those cakes. I’ve just given you the perfect excuse to order it without guilt. You can blame all those calories on me.”

“Too true,” her mom said. “My hips won’t thank you, but I do. See you soon.”

Caitlyn disconnected the call and sighed. There, she thought. She’d laid the groundwork. She doubted, though, that in her wildest dreams her mother could possibly imagine the news that she was coming home to share.

* * *

Noah didn’t have a lot of buddies, at least not the kind he could call and join for a beer and a serious discussion about what was going on in his life. He had a few basketball pals, but their conversations were superficial and mostly limited to medicine and sports. On top of that, they were rarely available on a Friday night. If they weren’t on duty at the hospital, they’d be home with their families or out on dates.

Since he knew he’d probably lose his mind sitting around his apartment and waiting for word from Caitlyn, he switched rotations with one of the other residents and went to the hospital for the Friday-night shift.

Thankfully, it was a quiet start to the weekend, because his concentration was shot. He knew he was in bad shape when the head nurse on duty pulled him aside after rounds.

“What’s with you, Noah?” Jill Marshall asked. “I’ve known you since the first day you set foot in this hospital, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen you be abrupt with a patient.” She gave him a long look, then added, “Ray Simpson.”

He regarded her with dismay and went over his conversation with Ray in his head. He winced when he realized she was right. He’d practically cut the man off in midsentence.

“I’ll go back in there and apologize,” he said at once. “I have a lot on my mind, but I shouldn’t be taking it out on a patient.”

“It must be pretty serious,” she said, regarding him worriedly. “How about a cup of coffee instead? I’m a good listener. Maybe you should get this off your chest before you tick off another patient. You can go back to see Mr. Simpson afterward. He’s in traction. He isn’t going anywhere.”

Since Jill was in her fifties and had been a head nurse long before he’d turned up at the hospital as a green intern, Noah knew the offer was well-meant. She might treat the physicians with the utmost respect, but she mothered the med students, interns and even the residents. If anything other than Caitlyn’s pregnancy were on his mind, he’d accept her offer eagerly. She’d proven herself to be a good sounding board on many occasions.

“I could probably use the coffee,” he admitted. “But can we skip the heart-to-heart?”

She frowned at that. “How am I supposed to help if you won’t tell me what’s worrying you?”

“Just knowing you care helps a lot,” he said.

She rolled her eyes at that, but led the way to the empty nurses’ lounge and poured them both cups of coffee strong enough to keep the most exhausted person on staff wide-awake and alert.

“I thought you took this weekend off so you and Caitlyn could have some time together,” she commented as she handed him his coffee.

Noah chuckled at her attempt at an innocent interrogation. “Something came up. She had to drive down to Chesapeake Shores to see her family.”

“And you didn’t want to go along? You had the time off, after all.”

“It wasn’t the right time,” he said.

She gave him a direct look. “Okay, I know I’m butting in here, but are the two of you serious or not?”

“We are,” he said a little too emphatically.

“Then I really don’t get it. Have you even met her family? They live practically up the street.”

“It’s a little farther away than that,” he responded, then sighed. “But I know what you mean. It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“I can’t explain it,” he admitted.

“Because she won’t explain it to you,” Jill guessed. “Noah, you know we all love Caitlyn to pieces. She’s going to be an incredible physician, every bit as talented as you. Personally, I think the two of you are perfect for each other. But if she’s holding you at arm’s length, whatever her reasons for it, maybe you need to think about moving on. It’s not normal for a woman supposedly in love to be deliberately keeping you away from her family.”

She allowed that to sink in, then added, “You’re an incredible man. I know a half-dozen women on staff who’d give their right arms to have you glance at them twice. Believe me, any one of them would be thrilled to drag you home to meet Mom and Dad.”

Noah appreciated what she was saying, but he wasn’t interested. “That’s very flattering, but Caitlyn’s the one for me.”

She held his gaze and asked gently, “But are you the one for her?”

“I am,” he said readily.

He had to be, he told himself. Especially now.

* * *

Caitlyn managed to get through dinner with her mother and Trace without giving anything away. She even played with her little half brother, Patrick Donovan Riley, for a few minutes before he went down for the night. Her last words as she tucked him in were, “Don’t you dare let Grandpa Mick insist on calling you Paddy, okay? It should be enough for Grandpa that your cousin Luke has an Irish pub called O’Brien’s right here in town. We don’t need to be obsessive about the whole Irish thing.”

“’Kay,” he mumbled sleepily as his eyes drifted shut.

She lingered in his room, trying to imagine herself with a child his age in a few years. How crazy would that be? And how on earth would it work if she were in some isolated part of the world? Would Noah insist that their child remain with him wherever he located and opened his practice? Was that one of the possibilities? Could she accept being separated from her child, even temporarily? And what about Noah? Could she live with being separated from him? Until now it had seemed a distant problem, one it would be years before she had to resolve. Now it was all too depressingly complicated with no obvious solutions, at least none she’d managed to come up with on her own.

When she got downstairs, she found her mother in the kitchen, putting the last of the dishes into the dishwasher.

“Where’s Trace?” Caitlyn asked.

“I told him we wanted some mother-daughter time,” Abby replied. “How about going for a walk? It’s a mild night for this time of year. After the endless winter we’ve had that dragged on through April, I can almost believe that spring is finally right around the corner.”

“It’s a little too dark for a walk on the beach,” Caitlyn responded, regretting that. She’d done some of her best thinking and planning on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

“We could walk along the road into town, burn off a few calories from that cake,” her mother suggested. “We could even grab a cup of coffee or shop. I imagine one or two of the stores are still open, even though most of them won’t start extending their hours for the summer season until Memorial Day weekend.”

Caitlyn smiled. Her mom had always loved shopping, a trait she shared with Grandma Megan. She’d been in heaven living in New York. There was no comparison in Chesapeake Shores certainly, even though the small downtown area was thriving.

“We can certainly window-shop at least,” Caitlyn agreed. “No more food, that’s for sure. That cake is so rich I may not eat for the rest of the weekend.”

“You’ll eat at Grandpa Mick’s on Sunday,” her mother said. “Otherwise, you’ll never hear the end of it. He’ll lecture you on insulting Nell.”

“Don’t I know it,” Caitlyn said. “Besides, sometimes I actually crave Gram’s pot roast and her chicken and dumplings and her Irish stew.”

“Any preference for Sunday? I’m sure she’ll make whatever you ask her for.”

“Irish stew,” Caitlyn said at once. “I tried making it myself a couple of weeks ago. It was awful, and I know I followed the recipe you gave me.”

Her mom winced. “Maybe you should have gotten it directly from Gram. You know how I am about things like that. I could have left off half the ingredients. To her everlasting dismay, your uncle Kevin is the only one in the family who inherited Gram’s skill in the kitchen.”

Caitlyn shook her head. “That would explain the disaster, all right. My stew was all but inedible.”

“I’ve already called to tell her you’re here. I’ll let her know first thing in the morning about Sunday dinner,” her mom promised. “Shall I tell her you’ll be stopping by for a cooking lesson in the meantime?”

“That would be great,” Caitlyn said at once. It would give her time alone with Nell to get some much-needed perspective to go right along with the recipe.

Abby grabbed a jacket off a peg by the kitchen door. “You ready for that walk?”

Caitlyn plucked her own jacket off a peg and left the house with her mother. The night air was brisk, even for May, but there was a full moon that cast a stream of silvery light across the Chesapeake Bay just below the road.

They walked the first half mile or so in silence until Caitlyn couldn’t stand it any longer.

“How’s work?” she asked.

“Challenging,” Abby replied. “Handling the job full-time now with Patrick seems a lot harder than it did when you and Carrie were his age. It doesn’t make sense since there were two of you.”

“That’s because we were little angels,” Caitlyn said wryly, knowing perfectly well that she and her sister had been anything but angelic.

Her mom laughed. “As if, but it’s true that Patrick’s a real handful. Trace is a trouper, but he’s more in demand for graphic design work than ever, especially for these new start-up web companies. Even though he works at home, it’s hard for him to juggle work and child care. Thank goodness for kindergarten. He manages a few uninterrupted hours of work before Patrick gets home.”

“You could afford help,” Caitlyn suggested.

“And have your grandfather complain that strangers are raising his grandson?”

“It’s not as if he has a lot of room to talk,” Caitlyn reminded her. “Didn’t he leave Nell to raise you and the rest of his kids when he and Grandma Megan were apart?”

“But Nell is his mother. He’d say it’s not the same.”

“Then tell him he can step in and babysit Patrick.”

“Oh, no,” her mom protested at once. “That child is stubborn enough without letting my father influence him on a daily basis.”

Caitlyn laughed, well aware of her grandfather’s personality. Stubborn was just the tip of the iceberg. Controlling and meddling also came to mind. “I can see how that would be worrisome,” she said.

Silence fell again until they reached downtown Chesapeake Shores. The shops were all closed, but one or two of the restaurants along Shore Road appeared to be open.

“Panini Bistro?” Caitlyn asked.

“That works for me,” her mother said, leading the way inside and heading for a table in the back.

There were a few other tables occupied, but they were far enough away that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard. As soon as they had cups of decaf coffee in front of them and Caitlyn had taken her time adding sugar and cream, her mother reached over and covered her hand.

“Talk,” she said gently. “Whatever’s going on, you know you can tell me. Is medical school not going well? Are you having second thoughts about medicine?”

It was interesting that her mother had focused on her career first. Clearly she understood it was the most important thing in Caitlyn’s life.

Caitlyn shook her head. “Work at the hospital is good. And I’ll never change my mind about medicine and what I want for my future. That’s part of the problem.”

“How so?”

Tears welled up in Caitlyn’s eyes. Unable to bear the thought of the disappointment she might see on her mom’s face, she looked down at the table and whispered, “I’m going to have a baby.”

There wasn’t even an instant of shock or hesitation from her mom. “Oh, sweetheart,” she said, squeezing Caitlyn’s hand tightly. “That’s wonderful news!”

Caitlyn looked up and spotted the tears in her mother’s eyes and realized her words were totally sincere. Among the O’Briens, babies were a blessing, no matter what.

“Seriously? You’re not disappointed in me?”

“I could never be disappointed in you,” Abby replied fiercely. “You’re brilliant and loving and the best daughter imaginable.”

“But this is something Carrie would do, not me.”

Her mother actually chuckled at that. “It’s true that it might be less of a shock coming from your sister, but that doesn’t mean it’s not wonderful. Tell me about the father. Why haven’t you mentioned that you’re with someone special?”

“How do you know it’s someone special?” Caitlyn asked, amazed by her mother’s perceptiveness.

“Because you’re you,” Abby said, a smile on her lips. “If I know nothing else about you, I know you don’t have casual flings. Given how focused you’ve been about school and your career, I can’t imagine you’d get involved with anyone if he weren’t really important.”

“That’s true,” Caitlyn said, grateful for the vote of confidence.

“Any particular reason you haven’t mentioned him before?”

Caitlyn flushed. “You know how Grandpa Mick and Trace would get. The whole family, for that matter. Add in what happened at Jenny’s wedding and Grandpa Mick would never leave us in peace. Catching that bouquet all but signaled that there’d be a wedding in my future. If he knew about Noah, he’d have a date scheduled on the church calendar. I didn’t want to subject Noah or myself to the pressure.”

Her mother smiled. “No question Dad would pile on the pressure,” she agreed. “But you’ve always been able to handle that. Did you think your young man wouldn’t be able to?”

“Not at all. Noah is incredible,” Caitlyn confided to her. “He’s smart and funny and gorgeous. He’s finishing his residency in family medicine next month.”

“He sounds perfect for you.” She studied Caitlyn with a penetrating look. “Am I wrong about that?”

She shook her head. “No, he is perfect. It’s the timing of all this. He wants to get married.”

“Let me guess. You don’t.”

“Not because I don’t love Noah,” she said quickly. “I do. More than anything. And I want this baby.”

“But marriage and a baby weren’t part of the plan,” her mother said, holding her gaze. “The one you thought through so carefully and wrote down before you even finished high school.”

Caitlyn nodded. “That was the plan, all right. This was supposed to happen years from now. After I’d accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish,” she stressed.

Her mother regarded her with sympathy. “Oh, my poor girl, I can totally relate to how you’re feeling. I know all about plans and how disconcerting it is when they go awry. I was just getting started as a stockbroker in New York when I met your father. I had this fast-paced timetable for success, and believe me, there was no room in that for a man, much less marriage and a family.”

Caitlyn chuckled. It sounded so familiar and oddly reassuring. Her mother had figured out a solution. Perhaps she could, too.

“But bad timing or not, there was your father,” her mom continued. “He was very determined and persuasive. Eventually he overrode all of my objections and convinced me to get married. I figured I could juggle marriage and work okay, no problem. I am, after all, an incredible multitasker.”

Caitlyn laughed. “So you’ve always claimed.”

“I am,” her mother repeated with a hint of indignation. “My point is that I adjusted my plan and it was working very smoothly.” She sighed. “At least until I discovered I was pregnant with twins.”

After a moment, she continued. “You know the rest. Your father wanted me to quit work and be a full-time mother. When I refused, we fought. Endlessly, as a matter of fact, until there was no other choice but to get a divorce. Then I had two babies and a full-time career. I panicked, but I did it. You’ll be able to do it, too. You’ll make whatever adjustments are necessary. You have my genes, after all.”

“I’ve been to med school,” Caitlyn reminded her. “I know genetics will only get me so far.”

“Well, you have the O’Brien grit and determination going for you, too,” she added. “What does Noah have to say about all this? Beyond wanting to get married, that is.”

“He says we can figure the rest out, but I don’t see how. The only way I see it working is if I give up on my dream and settle for practicing medicine in some traditional way, rather than going overseas.”

“Did Noah insist you abandon everything you’ve worked for? If he did, perhaps he doesn’t know you as well as he should. The right man would be incredibly proud of your dedication.”

“Noah would never insist on something like that, even if it’s what he really wants. Sure, he’d be thrilled if I finished up in a few years and went into practice with him, but he does get where I’m coming from. He’s always been incredibly supportive. If there’s a way for me to do what I’ve always hoped to do, he’ll back me. I’m the one who’s not seeing any alternative but sacrificing the one thing that’s been driving me for years now. I feel as if I’m caught up in one of those either-or moments.”

“Maybe you just need to start thinking outside the box. You won’t know what’s possible until the two of you really sit down and talk about all your options. Have you done that yet?”

Caitlyn shook her head. “We just found out this week. He encouraged me to come home to talk to you and Nell.”

“He didn’t want to come along?”

“He practically insisted on it,” she admitted. “I talked him out of it. I told him I needed to think this through in peace and break the news myself.” She regarded her mother worriedly. “Do you think there’s any chance at all that Grandpa Mick and Trace will take this as well as you have?”

Her mother laughed. “Not a chance,” she said. “But we’ll deal with them. Given what a handful you and Carrie were as teenagers—well, Carrie, anyway—I’ve had a lot of experience at keeping them from freaking out.”

“I know that, but I’m not sure your skills have been put to a test like this before. Besides, I’m the one who needs to tell them.”

“How about we do it together?” her mother suggested.

Caitlyn wanted to seize the offer, but she shook her head. “Thanks for offering, but no. I’m an adult. It’s up to me.” She sighed, then added, “Noah really did want to be with me when I tell them, but I told him I wouldn’t risk his life like that.”

“Probably a wise decision,” her mother concurred. “But I suggest you get him down here very soon. Otherwise, I can’t promise they won’t go looking for him. The entire O’Brien posse is likely to take off for Baltimore before you can get all your words out.”

Unfortunately, Caitlyn knew her mother was absolutely right about that. “I’ll talk to Trace and Grandpa Mick in the morning. After I’m convinced they’ve recovered from the shock, I’ll see if Noah wants to drive down for Sunday dinner. At least if there’s a crowd, someone will pull Trace and Grandpa Mick away if they attack him.”

Her mom nodded. “Good plan.” She hesitated, then asked, “What about your father?”

Oddly enough, Caitlyn hadn’t even considered how her biological father might react. While Wes Winters had remained in their lives after the divorce, he’d married again, had two more children and taken less and less of an interest in what was going on with Caitlyn and Carrie.

“I’ll call him next week. It’s not as if he’ll accidentally find out in the meantime,” she said. “I doubt the news will be much more than a passing blip on his radar these days.”

Her mother gave her hand another reassuring squeeze. “It’s all going to work out,” she promised. “And I can’t wait to meet this young man of yours.”

“You’re going to love him,” Caitlyn predicted.

“What matters is that you love him,” her mother responded.

“I do,” she said, and for the first time since she’d seen that positive pregnancy test, she was able to focus on the fact that she loved Noah more than she’d ever imagined possible. She needed to concentrate on that. Maybe then everything else really would fall into place.

3

It was nearly midnight and Cait had rarely been far from Noah’s thoughts for more than a few minutes at a time all evening. He’d checked his cell phone a half-dozen times to see if she’d tried to reach him. When it finally vibrated and he saw her name on the caller ID, he breathed a sigh of relief as he answered.

“Hey, you,” he said, his voice low even though he was alone in the on-call room at the hospital. “I was hoping I’d hear from you tonight. Is everything going okay in Chesapeake Shores? Have you broken the news yet?”

“It’s actually going better than I expected, so far,” she told him. “I told my mom earlier.”

“And?”

“She can’t wait to meet you.”

The tension he’d been feeling all day eased. “That’s a good sign, isn’t it?” he said. If Cait’s mother could keep an open mind about him after learning about the pregnancy, perhaps she’d get through to others in the family.

“One down and a long list to go,” Cait warned him.

“But that one is crucial. I imagine you had to talk fast and create quite an impressive list of my sterling attributes to counteract the baby news.”

“To be honest, my mom’s pretty excited about the baby, too. She believes we can figure out a solution.”

“Word is that we’re both pretty smart,” Noah replied with a smile. “I think she’s right. What about the rest of the family? When will you tell them?”

“I’m going to talk to Trace and Grandpa Mick in the morning.” She sighed heavily. “I’m really not looking forward to that.”

“I’m still willing to hop in the car and drive down there to be with you when you tell them. I can take the heat.”

“And I appreciate that,” she said. “But I need to be the one to break the news. Once I see how that goes, I thought maybe you could come down on Sunday. We have this big family dinner at Grandpa Mick’s every week. Remember, I’ve told you about that.”

Noah, whose own family was small and apparently very sedate by comparison, had envied the chaotic meals she’d described. “I remember.”

“It’s a bit of a mob scene, but you know what they say about there being safety in numbers. I doubt even my grandfather would do anything crazy with that many witnesses.”

“Gee, you make it sound like a fun time,” he said. “But if you want me there, I’m game.” He was, in fact, surprisingly eager to take this next step. He sensed that despite Cait’s fears, he’d have allies there.

“I’ll call you once I’ve seen them tomorrow and we can decide what’s best,” she promised. “Now tell me about what’s going on at the hospital. Did you work tonight?”

“I did, though my mind kept wandering. Jill called me on it. I was abrupt with poor Mr. Simpson,” he confessed. “He was just looking for more reassurance that he’d be okay and able to go back to work once the worst of his injuries from the accident heal, but I snapped at him.”

“I can’t believe you were short with anyone,” Cait said, sounding shocked. “You never lose your temper with the patients, no matter how many times they ask the same questions.”

“I apologized.” He recalled that uncomfortable conversation. It was one he hoped never to have to repeat. “Do you know what he told me?”

“What?”

“That for the first time it made him realize I was only human, too.”

Cait laughed. “Could be a lesson in there for all of us,” she said. “Not that I recommend losing your cool on a regular basis, but we need to remember we’re not gods and the patients need to know that, too. Aren’t you the one who’s always preached that we need to connect with them as real people?”

“And I do believe that,” Noah confirmed. “Tell me about Chesapeake Shores. What’s it like this time of year?”

“I was pretty distracted as I drove into town, but the weather’s nice. Mom and I took a walk along the bay after dinner, then went for coffee. Decaf,” she added quickly.

“Good for you. I know how you love your caffeine.”

“Way too much,” she conceded. “Maybe this is one sacrifice that will stick with me and I’ll stop craving it to get through those long days at work.”

“Describe the town for me again,” he said. He’d never tired of hearing about it. He’d grown up in the middle of a blighted urban area that had made him long for a more peaceful and serene setting.

“The daffodils are fading on the town green,” she reported. “But the tulips will be in full bloom soon. And the little patch of lily of the valley at the house smells wonderful. That was Grandma Megan’s favorite flower, so Mom and all of her siblings have planted it by their front walks. They say back then it reminded them of her when she was away for so long and they never want to forget how much they missed her and how grateful they’ve come to be that she’s back in their lives.”

Noah was familiar with the story of how her grandmother had walked out on her workaholic grandfather, a famed architect and urban planner. She’d left behind five children, convinced by Mick O’Brien they’d be better off growing up right in Chesapeake Shores, a town he and his brothers had built along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. While she’d left with the best of intentions for her family, it had caused a serious rift with her children that had only recently healed. Now Mick and Megan had patched up their differences, as well, and were far more happily remarried. It was proof, he thought, that with true love there was always reason to hope.

“I can’t wait to see this town that’s so special to you,” he told Cait. “And to meet your family.”

“You’re going to love it here,” she said. “It’s an idyllic setting and a great community.” She yawned sleepily. “I’m beat. You must be, too. I’ll give you a call tomorrow and we’ll decide on a plan for Sunday, okay?” She hesitated, then added, “Or I’ll warn you if it would be wise to leave the country.”

Noah laughed, though he could tell she wasn’t entirely kidding. “I’ll wait to hear from you,” he said. “I love you, Cait.”

“Love you, too. Good night, Noah.”

Even after she’d disconnected the call, he held tightly to the phone, reluctant to sever the connection himself. Cait had definitely sounded more upbeat than she had before heading home. He counted on that being a promising start for this new journey.

Maybe by Sunday they’d have a real strategy for the future that would work for both of them. He’d certainly been putting the pieces of his own plan together in his head ever since he’d discovered that Cait was pregnant. And once she’d calmed down, he knew she was more than likely to have her own very specific ideas. Somewhere in there, he hoped, was exactly the right compromise.

* * *

Caitlyn lingered at the kitchen table, pushing French toast around on her plate.

“You need to eat that,” her mother scolded.

“I know, but I can’t seem to swallow.” She met her mother’s worried gaze. “Thanks for making it, though.”

“Even I can dip bread into eggs and manage not to burn it,” Abby said. “Enough butter and maple syrup and nobody ever notices that’s all it is—bread, eggs and a little milk. Trace acts as if I’ve taken breakfast to a whole new level of culinary achievement.”

Caitlyn chuckled. “In his view, maybe you have. This is an improvement over cold cereal, frozen waffles or even scrambled eggs.”

“You and Carrie survived on that, didn’t you?” her mom retorted.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the extra effort that went into this.”

“If you appreciate it so much, finish it,” Abby prodded.

Caitlyn shook her head and pushed away the plate.

“Okay, then, you might as well get your big announcement over with. Trace is already in his office working. I can call Dad and get him over here, so you can speak to both of them at the same time.”

“It would be easier to break the news just one time,” Caitlyn agreed. “Maybe they can prop each other up as the shock settles in.”

“Or I can stand just outside the door with smelling salts,” her mom suggested.

Caitlyn laughed despite herself. “Probably an even better idea, especially for Grandpa Mick. Maybe you should ask Grandma Megan to come over here, too. She can usually calm him down.”

Abby gave her a wry look. “But it’s Nell who’s able to peel him off the ceiling when he’s about to lose it.”

Caitlyn thought of Nell’s soothing influence on all of them and nodded. “Fine. Call her, too. Though I hate to imagine what they’re going to think when you summon them over here first thing on a Saturday morning and they see me.”

“They’re going to be delighted to get a glimpse of you,” Abby assured her.

“That won’t last,” Caitlyn predicted. “I’d better go and pull myself together. Let me know when the cast has been assembled for the big reveal.”

Her mom gave her an amused look. “Your aunt Bree, the playwright, will be thrilled you’ve inherited her sense of drama.”

“Don’t even mention her to me. It’s that bouquet she made for Jenny’s wedding that I blame for all of this,” she said as she left the kitchen and headed to her room.

Far too quickly she heard a tap on her door and her mother announced that her grandparents and Nell were in Trace’s office. Abby walked downstairs with Caitlyn.

“Are you sure you don’t want me with you for moral support?” she asked.

Caitlyn shook her head. “Too bad I can’t drink. I could use a stiff shot of something about now.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Abby reassured her. “Just remember that they all love you. And once they’re past the shock, they’ll agree with me that this is great news. I’m counting on them to help me convince you that it doesn’t have to derail your life.”

Caitlyn opened the door to Trace’s spacious home office with its tall windows letting in lots of morning sunshine. When they’d all moved in years ago, she and Carrie had spent hours in this room playing as Trace worked. Taking a huge breath, she stepped inside.

“Well, look who’s here,” her grandfather boomed, enveloping her in an exuberant hug. “My favorite granddaughter.” Mick leaned close to whisper, “Don’t tell the others.”

It was a familiar refrain, one repeated with every single grandchild at one point or another. They were all Mick’s favorites to hear him tell it, and they grew up believing it and counting on that exuberant and unconditional love, even as they chafed at his well-meant interference in their lives.

Caitlyn crossed the room to kiss her grandmother, then sat down next to Nell and reached for her hand. That garden-roughened hand had soothed away many hurts over the years. It was a shock to realize how frail it felt in Caitlyn’s grasp.

“You okay?” Nell asked, regarding her with worry. “I know perfectly well we’re not here just so you can say hello.”

“If only that were the reason,” Caitlyn told her with a heartfelt sigh. She looked across the room at her stepfather. Trace had been such a powerful force in her life. He’d been present in ways her biological father never had been, not just physically present, but emotionally supportive, too. She could recall the candy he’d brought to her and Carrie from Ethel’s Emporium, the trips into town for ice cream and pizza as he’d wooed them as determinedly as he’d tried to win back her mother’s affections. Theirs was just one more story that proved true love really could have a second chance.

“What’s up, kiddo?” Trace asked quietly, his gaze steady and expectant. It was evident he knew something was up.

Holding tight to Nell’s hand, she began, “I thought you all should know that I’ve been seeing someone.”

Her grandfather frowned. “You’ll need to define just what that means. I thought you didn’t have time for dating?”

Caitlyn smiled at the claim she’d made so many times over the years. “To be honest, it’s a little more than dating,” she confessed.

Now Trace’s shoulders visibly stiffened. “Meaning?”

“It’s serious,” she told him, looking directly into his eyes. She sucked in a deep breath, then blurted, “We’re going to have a baby.”

The commotion that ensued wasn’t entirely unexpected. Grandpa Mick immediately started blustering about going after the man responsible. Trace seconded him, even as Nell and Grandma Megan were circling the wagons around her, beaming. Her mom, who’d clearly been listening at the door, came into the room and poked Grandpa Mick in the chest.

“Sit down,” she commanded, then went to sit on the edge of Trace’s desk, her gaze all but daring him to make a fuss.

To Caitlyn’s shock, her grandfather fell silent and Trace sat back and closed his eyes, clearly gathering his composure. They looked shaken, but no more so than she’d expected.

“Tell them about Noah,” her mom suggested, then added meaningfully, “He sounds like a wonderful man to me.”

“You knew about this?” Trace asked, regarding her with a hint of hurt in his voice.

“Only since last night,” Abby told him. “I would have said something then, but Caitlyn wanted to tell you all herself. I had to respect her decision.”

“Well, personally, I couldn’t be happier to hear that we’ll have another baby to celebrate,” Nell said, giving her son and Trace a defiant look.

“Of course we’ll be celebrating this gift, Ma,” Mick responded impatiently. His scowl deepened. “But I want to know what this young man intends to do to make things right. Have you set a wedding date?”

Caitlyn shook her head. “We’ve barely had time to absorb the news. We haven’t made any plans yet. There’s a lot to consider.”

“There’s only one thing I can think of,” her grandfather contradicted. “Whether the church is available.”

“Mick, let the girl talk,” Grandma Megan said quietly, then faced Caitlyn. “Sweetheart, have you discussed marriage?”

“It’s on the table,” Caitlyn acknowledged, reluctant to make the admission because of the pressure that was bound to follow for her to say yes.

“Well, of course it is,” Trace said, proving her point. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Her mom frowned at him.

“I’m just saying,” he said defensively.

“Caitlyn’s decision,” Abby reminded him.

“And Noah’s,” Caitlyn added. “I’ve thought of inviting him to join us for dinner tomorrow, but I won’t do it unless you all promise to treat him decently.” She looked directly at her grandfather and then at Trace as she said it. “I want all of you to get to know him, but I don’t want any pressure about wedding dates.”

“They’ll be on their best behavior,” Nell assured her before glancing sharply at both men. “Won’t you?”

Silence fell.

“Won’t you?” Nell repeated.

Trace sighed. “Of course.”

Mick’s scowl settled in. “I reserve the right to say whatever I please in my own home.”

Megan lifted a brow. “Do you want to meet this young man of Caitlyn’s or not? You’ll guarantee politeness or the rest of us will be having dinner at Brady’s without you.”

Caitlyn choked back a laugh at Grandpa Mick’s stunned expression. “Maybe that would be best,” she said innocently.

“Over my dead body!” Grandpa Mick blustered. “Okay, okay, I’ll promise to keep a civil tongue in my head, but if I don’t like what I’m hearing, none of you can hold me to that.”

That wasn’t quite the assurance that Caitlyn would have preferred, but it was more than she’d anticipated. She crossed the room to give him a fierce hug. “Thank you.”

When she looked into his eyes, she saw they were damp with tears.

“You love this man?” he asked, his tone quieter and far more reasonable.

“I do.”

“Then we’ll start from there,” he said. “Everything else can be worked out.”

Caitlyn wished she were as confident of that, but knowing that her family was on her side was a huge relief. It already felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

“I think we’ve had enough surprises for one morning,” Nell said. “Sweetheart, why don’t you come back to my cottage with me? You can help me make a big pot of Irish stew for tomorrow’s lunch.”

“I’d love that,” Caitlyn said eagerly.

And it wasn’t just because it meant she could escape from this room before either her grandfather or Trace could go back on their word and start asking questions she was nowhere near ready to answer. It had just as much to do with the soothing effect of being around Nell, and maybe finally learning to cook a favorite Irish meal that would be edible.

* * *

“Okay, now that they’re gone, what are we going to do about this?” Mick asked his son-in-law.

Trace gave him a startled look. “I was under the impression that we’ve been given clear marching orders. We’re to be nice and keep our mouths shut.”

“Oh, balderdash!” Mick retorted. “Have you ever known me to sit back and wait to see what happens?”

Trace smiled. “And how has that worked out for you?”

“Perfectly fine,” Mick replied at once, then sighed. “Mostly.”

Trace gave him a rueful look. “It’s those exceptions that worry me.”

“But you agree with me that Caitlyn and this man need to get married as soon as possible?” he pressed.

“Not necessarily,” Trace said.

Mick was startled by Trace’s apparent indecision. “You don’t agree? What kind of father doesn’t want to see his daughter married to the man who got her pregnant?”

“Stepfather,” Trace corrected.

Mick rolled his eyes. “We both know you’ve been more of a father to that girl than Wes Winters ever was. Why are you hesitating about doing what we both know is right?”

“Because this is Caitlyn’s decision. If she has second thoughts about marrying this man, maybe there’s a reason for that. I think we need to meet him and then decide on the best course of action.”

Mick took his son-in-law’s suggestion under advisement. “You could be right,” he admitted eventually. “We’ll know more tomorrow, then first thing Monday we can get busy making plans. Maybe I’ll call the priest this afternoon just to get the ball rolling.”

Trace laughed. “So much for waiting until we know more.”

Mick waved off his sarcasm. “Oh, we both know that Caitlyn’s smart as a whip. If she’s involved with this man, then we’re going to approve of him, too.”

“Probably so,” Trace conceded.

Mick nodded, satisfied. “Then we have a plan.”

“Well, at least you do,” Trace said. “I just hope it doesn’t blow up in your face.”

“Now, why would it do that?” Mick asked, bewildered.

“Because you seem to be forgetting one thing. Caitlyn is your granddaughter. She has a mind of her own.”

Now it was Mick’s turn to sigh. That was, indeed, a little worrisome.

* * *

In the kitchen of Nell’s cozy cottage overlooking the bay, a fire had been lit to take off the morning chill. Dillon O’Malley was waiting for them, the water already hot for tea.

“How did you read my mind?” Caitlyn asked him, giving a hug to this man who’d come back into her great-grandmother’s life only a few brief years ago.

“How are you, you darling girl?” he asked, studying her closely with his perceptive gaze. “Do I detect a certain glow about you?”

Nell regarded him with amazement. “What makes you ask a thing like that? The girl just told us not a half hour ago that she’s pregnant.”

Dillon winked at Caitlyn. “I’d love to have you believing that I’ve a touch of second sight, but the truth is Abby called to fill me in. She said it had turned awfully damp and cool to be walking outside and thought you might want a bracing cup of tea when you got here. I’ve herbal for you, Caitlyn.”

A pleased smile spread across Nell’s face. “Is there any question about why I fell for you so many years ago and all over again when we went to Ireland for Christmas a few years back?” She turned to Caitlyn. “If your young man is half as thoughtful, you’ll have a good life.”

“Noah is patient, kind and considerate,” Caitlyn assured her. She smiled at Dillon. “But it probably wouldn’t hurt if you want to give him a few lessons in catering to a woman’s needs.”

“I’d be happy to,” Dillon said. “Will we be seeing him soon?”

“Tomorrow more than likely,” she said. “I called him before we left to walk over here. He’s coming for Sunday dinner, unless I’ve scared him off with all the warnings about the interrogation he’ll likely face.”

“Why don’t I stick close and see that he’s not overwhelmed,” Dillon offered. “I know all too well what Mick can be like when he’s feeling protective. I imagine he’s a little crazy right now.”

Caitlyn laughed. She recalled her grandfather’s reaction when he’d discovered that his mother was being courted by an old flame in Dublin. He’d been all but impossible to reason with.

“We’ll both be keeping a sharp eye on Mick,” Nell promised. “Now, let’s get to that stew. I’ve all the ingredients ready to go. Do you have paper and a pen?”

Caitlyn took them out of her pocket. “Right here.”

Apparently satisfied that she and Nell were warmed up from their walk back to the cottage, Dillon left them to their cooking.

“You really did luck out with that man,” Caitlyn told Nell.

“I was twice blessed,” she replied. “You didn’t know your great-grandfather, but he was a fine man, too. I think that was one reason it took Mick so long to warm up to the idea of Dillon being back in my life. He loved his father. I think he thought I’d always mourn him.”

“But he finally realized that we have an unlimited capacity for love, didn’t he?” Caitlyn said. “Do you think the O’Briens mate for life like a few of the creatures in nature? You’re with the first man you ever loved, even after having a whole family with another man. Grandpa Mick and Grandma Megan got back together after years of being divorced. Even Mom eventually came back to Trace, her own first love.”

“Are you really wondering if this Noah of yours is your soul mate?” Nell asked gently. “Or if you’re going to be acting too hastily by marrying him just because of the baby?”

Caitlyn was relieved to have Nell recognize her real worry. “Exactly,” she said.

“Only you know the answer to that,” Nell said as she diced vegetables and put them into a pot of water on the stove along with various spices. As they began to simmer, filling the air with a wonderfully rich aroma, she sat across from Caitlyn. She took a sip of her tea and waited, then smiled. “Since you haven’t had a word to say to that, I assume you don’t know the answer.”

Caitlyn shook her head, yet another batch of tears forming in her eyes. At this rate, she’d be dehydrated throughout her pregnancy.

“I don’t,” she whispered. “I really don’t. It’s disconcerting. It seems as if I’ve always understood what I wanted to do professionally, what I was meant to do, but when it comes to love, I never had a plan at all. I certainly didn’t have any idea how to combine the two.”

“Then you won’t make a decision until you do. And we’ll all of us wait for that moment, even your grandfather.”

“Grandpa Mick’s never been very patient,” Caitlyn said with a sniff. “He’s going to push to book the church. You know he is.”

Nell squeezed her hand. “This time he’ll find a way to wait for your decision, and that’s a promise from me to you.”

“Thank you.”

“No thanks necessary,” Nell said. “This is your life to lead as you think best. If you want our guidance, you’ll ask for it. As for our support, that’s a given.”

Caitlyn looked into her great-grandmother’s blue eyes, faded now with age, and felt better than she had at any time since she’d first read that positive pregnancy test.

“I love you,” she said, hoping she’d have years and years left to say those words to Nell, praying that her child would have time to get to know this wise and wonderful woman.

“Now don’t be getting all sentimental on me,” Nell said briskly, though she wiped away a tear of her own. She tapped a finger on the blank page in front of Caitlyn. “Start writing or your second attempt at making traditional Irish stew won’t be any better than the first.”

Caitlyn pushed aside all other thoughts and started writing down the recipe, just the first of many that would connect her to her Irish roots.

* * *

Despite all of his brave declarations about facing the O’Briens at Cait’s side, Noah was decidedly nervous as he drove into Chesapeake Shores and followed her directions to her grandfather’s house on a cliff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

Before he made the turn onto the shoreline road, he caught a glimpse of the town green, which was still bright with the few remaining yellow daffodils in the May sunshine. It was just as Cait had described. There were shouts of childish laughter coming from the colorful playground at one end of the green. He couldn’t help thinking what a wonderful place it would be to raise a child. He doubted, though, that Cait was ready to hear his thoughts on that or on the research he’d done that revealed that the nearest local doctor’s office was miles away.

As he approached Mick O’Brien’s impressive home a few minutes later, he sucked in a deep breath. Even though Cait had assured him she’d paved the way by speaking to both her grandfather and her stepdad, Noah couldn’t help feeling he was about to walk into the lion’s den, albeit a cozy-looking one with a sprawling front porch crammed with rocking chairs and old-fashioned wicker furniture. Fortunately, it was a little too cool for those chairs to be occupied by shotgun-bearing O’Briens.

As he pulled to a stop, Cait must have spotted him from inside the house because she emerged and ran across the grass to meet him. He studied her face, trying to guess how things might be going inside.

“You okay?” he asked, taking the time to kiss her thoroughly despite whatever prying eyes might be watching.

“Getting there,” she said, a little breathless from their kiss.

“Does everyone inside know what’s going on?”

“I’ve only told Mom, Gram, Trace, Grandpa Mick and Grandma Megan, but I think we can assume the word has spread. I was getting an awful lot of speculative looks just now.”

“What about Carrie? Is she around?”

“Nope, she’s at some fashion thing in Milan or Paris.” She shrugged. “Someplace in Europe. I’ll tell her next time she calls.”

He grinned. “Are you sure you two are identical twins?” he asked, checking out her loose-fitting linen slacks and oversize sweater in a shade of purple never intended to be worn with her coloring. He thought she looked amazing, but he imagined her fashion-conscious sister would have been appalled.

“I know what you mean,” she said, glancing down with a rueful expression. “I’m a mess.”

“Not even close,” he objected. “Just oblivious to the designer racks, thank goodness. I think you look perfect.”

“And that’s why I love you,” she said, linking her arm through his. “Are you ready to do this?”

“Are you?”

“I think so,” she said. As they neared the house, she leaned close and whispered, “Don’t worry. Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.”

Noah smiled at that, then stopped her when she would have opened the door. “Cait, have you made any decisions?”

She shook her head. “I told you I wouldn’t, not until we’d talked. Did you think I’d go back on my word?”

“No, it’s just that you seem more at peace than you did the other day.”

She paused, her expression thoughtful. “I think I am,” she admitted, sounding surprised. “It must be the Chesapeake-Shores effect.”

Whatever it was, if it had put a sparkle back into her eyes, Noah counted that as a blessing.

4

Caitlyn watched carefully as her family chatted with Noah. He seemed to be holding his own with all of them, even Grandpa Mick and Trace. The tension in Trace’s jaw had finally eased. He’d even nodded approvingly when her mom appeared at his side. Abby had looked ready to intervene if things got out of hand, but Trace’s glance evidently reassured her.

Still, Caitlyn held her breath as her grandfather pulled Noah aside. When she stepped in their direction, Noah gave a subtle shake of his head and Grandpa Mick regarded her with a forbidding expression.

“Let them talk,” Nell advised. “You come and give me a hand in the kitchen. I’ll give you a few more tips on the finishing touches for the Irish stew. And I’ve made Irish soda bread to go along with it. You can take notes on that.”

“I doubt I’m up to baking bread,” Caitlyn protested.

“It’s a great stress reducer,” Nell promised. “It’ll come in handy whenever you’ve worries on your mind.”

“In that case, bring it on,” she said. “I’ve plenty of challenges ahead, it seems.”

As she turned to go into the kitchen with Nell, she cast a last worried glance in Noah’s direction, then dutifully followed her great-grandmother. She still couldn’t seem to concentrate on Nell’s words, though.

“Child, my first impression of Noah is that he’s a fine young man with a quick wit and a good head on his shoulders. I think he’s capable of putting Mick’s fears to rest,” Nell said at last. “All your grandfather wants is to know that you’re loved.”

“Love doesn’t always solve all the problems, though,” Caitlyn said, thinking of how many things needed to be resolved to make this situation right. Some of the obstacles seemed insurmountable.

“Of course it does, at least if it’s the real thing,” Nell said impatiently.

“Then why do people say that love isn’t always enough?”

“Because they don’t understand that the problems don’t just vanish when you love someone. Love takes work and compromise and understanding and respect. Do you and Noah have those things?”

“I’m willing to work at the relationship and I respect Noah more than anyone I know outside of this family,” Caitlyn said. “I think I understand his hopes and dreams.”

“And he understands yours?”

“He says he does.”

Nell smiled. “Then it’s the compromising that’s the sticking point?”

“For me,” Caitlyn admitted. “I’m half-O’Brien, after all. We’re stubborn and sure of ourselves and we want what we want.”

“I can’t deny any of that,” Nell agreed. “But look around at this family, Caitlyn. Is there a single one of us who hasn’t compromised on the important things at one time or another? Your own mother is here, rather than in New York where she’d envisioned her future. Even your grandfather—and we both know how stubborn he can be—has given up control of his company and stopped most of his traveling, so he can spend more time with your grandmother the way she always hoped he would. Dillon gave up his life in Ireland to live here with me, when I told him I couldn’t be separated from my family.” She met Caitlyn’s gaze. “I could go on and on. Do I need to?”

“No,” Caitlyn said. “But Mom and Grandpa Mick both got to live their dreams at least for a little while before they compromised. And you and Dillon visit Ireland every year.”

“And you feel as if your dream will be lost forever if you don’t grab on to it right now?” Nell asked, smiling.

“Something like that,” Caitlyn conceded, realizing that was part of her O’Brien need for immediate gratification.

“And those places you’ve dreamed of going, will they disappear?” Nell asked.

“Of course not. But I made a promise to be back soon,” Caitlyn said, clinging to her plan. “I don’t like the idea of breaking that promise. Promises are meant to be kept, especially one as important as this. You taught me that.”

Nell smiled. “Don’t throw my old lessons back in my face,” she scolded. “A delay doesn’t mean you’ll never keep your word.”

“I’m not sure that people who are counting on me for so much will be able to see it the same way,” she argued.

Once more Nell regarded her with a touch of exasperation. “This need you’ve seen in these places? Will that be wiped out anytime soon?”

“I’d like to think so, but realistically, no.”

“Then you and Noah could start this life together, perhaps, and then follow your dream a few years from now. You could even do it together, am I right? You’d be twice the help to people who need it.”

“But once we have children, we can’t just run off to save the world at the drop of a hat,” Caitlyn said.

Nell smiled at that argument, clearly dismissing it. “Haven’t you noticed the size of this family?” she asked. “I imagine there’s someone who could care for your children for a month or two if you wanted to volunteer in another country. Isn’t that what we do for one another?”

“It’s what you did for Grandpa Mick when Grandma Megan left,” Caitlyn replied, beginning to see what she meant. “You stepped in to help raise Mom, Kevin, Bree, Jess and Connor.”

“And your Grandma Megan helped out with Little Mick while Connor and Heather were working things out. We all did our part with Davey, too, while Kevin was getting over Georgia’s death and before he met Shanna.” She gave Caitlyn a penetrating look. “See what I mean?”

“Actually, I do,” Caitlyn said.

It just remained to be seen if she and Noah could reach the sort of compromise Nell was talking about, one they could both live with. The first step, she thought, was releasing that tight grip she had on the plan she’d formulated for her future.

* * *

Mick O’Brien’s office was lined with bookshelves and littered with architectural blueprints. There was a sweeping view of the bay through the French doors. A leather chair sat behind a massive mahogany desk with clean modern lines. The presence of toy trucks and even a few scattered dolls, though, told the real story of the man who ruled the O’Brien clan. He had a soft spot for his grandchildren. Perhaps he would, as well, for this unexpected baby who’d be his first great-grandchild.

“Sit,” Mick told Noah, his tone gruff. “And don’t look so worried. My instincts are telling me that you and I might be on the same side.”

“Really?” Noah said, not convinced of it. He suspected Mick was about two critical answers away from wanting to draw and quarter him.

Mick chuckled. “I’m sure you’ve heard the stories, that I’m a meddler, that I’m overly protective when it comes to my family.”

Noah smiled. “Those are the rumors.”

“Definitely true,” Mick confirmed. “But I’m also a pragmatist. This baby’s coming, whether I approve or disapprove. I just want to ensure that the baby’s interests and my granddaughter’s are protected.”

“That’s all I want, too,” Noah told him with complete candor. “I love Caitlyn, sir. I’ve been very clear with her about that and you need to know it, too.”

“Are we agreed, then, that marriage is the answer?” Mick asked, though it was less a question than a statement.

“I want to marry her, no question about it,” Noah confirmed. “I’ve been eager to start a family with her for a long time now. The only thing preventing me from asking was knowing how dedicated she is to this dream of hers to go back to Africa to practice medicine.”

“And I totally admire her for that dedication,” Mick said. “O’Briens understand all about how blessed we’ve been and our obligation to give back.”

“I understand you’ve been dedicated to supervising the building of homes for Habitat for Humanity since you retired from your company,” Noah said. “I imagine that was part of Cait’s inspiration for her own goals.”

“I’d like to think so, but she’s young. She has years to make her own contribution to society. Right now the important thing is this child she’s carrying and what’s best for the baby.”

“I think Cait is mindful of that,” Noah said. “But it’s a delicate balancing act for her between knowing what’s best for our child and what she needs for her own fulfillment. This pregnancy came as a shock to her. I’m not surprised that she’s having a hard time adjusting.”

“It came as a shock to you, too, I imagine,” Mick said. “But you’re not lollygagging about doing what needs to be done. You want to get married.”

“Absolutely,” Noah confirmed. “But if there’s one thing practicing medicine has taught me, it’s to keep an open mind, to be flexible when it’s necessary. Cait’s not learned that lesson yet.”

Mick gave a nod of satisfaction. “So, how do we get her to that point?”

Noah gave him a startled look. “I was hoping you’d have the answer to that. You’ve had a lot more practice dealing with her stubbornness than I have.”

Mick laughed, then shrugged sheepishly. “According to my wife and even my son-in-law—Caitlyn’s stepfather—my ways tend to backfire, at least at first. I thought maybe you’d have more finesse.”

“I think getting Caitlyn down the aisle is going to take more than finesse,” Noah replied candidly. “She’s worried about giving up on something she’s been working toward for a long time now. You probably know a lot about that kind of drive and determination.”

“I certainly do,” Mick said. “Took me a little too long, though, to figure out there’s more to life than a career. I’m a happier man since I discovered that.”

“You could tell Caitlyn about your epiphany,” Noah suggested.

“I’d be happy to, but it took me years to figure out what’s truly important. I lost all that time with my wife because of it. Caitlyn knows that, too. We don’t have that kind of time to waste. There’s a bit of urgency to this situation.”

Noah could hardly argue with that. “But she respects you, sir. She doesn’t want to disappoint you.”

Mick shook his head. “At the moment, anything I say is considered suspect. She knows what I’m expecting, an engagement and then a wedding. She won’t think I’m taking her needs into account.”

Noah actually found himself commiserating with this man who’d apparently always thought he possessed all the answers when it came to his family. For a man who’d had his own life planned out for some time, Noah had been feeling a bit at a loss himself now that he had to take Cait’s dreams into account. Balancing her goals with his own required some of that finesse Mick was talking about.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure Cait’s happy,” he told Mick. “Even if that doesn’t include me.”

Mick regarded him with shock. “You’d give up without a fight?”

Noah shook his head. “Not without a fight, no.”

Mick nodded happily. “Okay, then, let’s talk this through and come up with a plan,” he said eagerly. “I spoke to our priest yesterday and he’s ready to cooperate.”

Noah smiled. “You don’t leave much to chance, do you?”

“Not if I can help it,” Mick confirmed.

“She’s not going to be happy thinking we’re in cahoots,” Noah reminded him.

“Play this right and she never has to figure that out,” Mick replied confidently.

Noah wanted to believe that was possible, but he knew better. Cait, of all people, had her grandfather’s deviousness pegged. As Mick began to toss out ideas, some more outrageous than others, Noah started to realize the depths of it himself.

* * *

Caitlyn was trying to focus on Nell’s instructions, but she was too distracted by the thought of Noah being interrogated by her grandfather. They’d been alone too long. Just when she was about to burst into her grandfather’s office to rescue Noah, Jenny walked into the kitchen, a grin on her face.

“You!” she exclaimed, giving Jenny a mock scowl.

Jenny Collins Green, whose mother was married to Caitlyn’s great-uncle Thomas O’Brien, laughed. “My mom called about your news. I understand you’re blaming this situation on my bridal bouquet, so naturally I had to fly home from Nashville to defend myself. Caleb’s in the recording studio night and day with his new album or he’d be here, too. He’s thinking there might be a hit song in this predicament you blame on the two of us.”

“Of course he does,” Caitlyn said, then asked plaintively, “You couldn’t have tossed that bouquet in Carrie’s direction?”

“She didn’t need my help,” Jenny replied, pausing to give Nell a warm hug before turning back to Caitlyn. “Your sister will fall in love all on her own. She’s had lots of practice at looking for the right man.” She shrugged. “Besides, everybody knows I was never a tomboy. I had very little control over where that bouquet went.” She looked around the kitchen. “Where is this man who managed to slip past your defenses?”

“In Grandpa Mick’s office being grilled,” Caitlyn said with a shudder. “Do I need to be worried for his safety?”

“You don’t have a ring on your finger yet, so no,” Jenny said. “Mick’s not about to kill the groom-to-be before he has the two of you married.”

Caitlyn laughed, relaxing at last. “I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right. Grandpa Mick has a single goal right now and it trumps any desire he might have to make Noah pay for his role in this.”

Jenny regarded Nell fondly. “Mind if I steal your helper? I think a walk in the fresh air before dinner will be good for her. She seems a little tense.”

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